CBSE asks schools to disclose info on fee structure, parents cheer

Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has asked schools to upload mandatory information regarding fee structure and facilities by October 31, a move parents in Bhopal said would save them from paying extra charges.

Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has asked schools to upload mandatory information regarding fee structure and facilities by October 31, a move parents in Bhopal said would save them from paying extra charges.

The CBSE circular says this information disclosure is a step towards bringing transparency on the facilities provided by the schools.

The circular has raised hopes of parents who claim they are struggling to pay extra all through the year for projects, activities, results, almanacs and development fund.

“We are happy that the CBSE has taken such a step. We are not really told why we have to pay extra charges apart from the regular fees, which also include extracurricular activities, donation and development funds, said Priya Dosi, a parent.

Parents who were waiting for fees revision committee have also welcomed this step.

Palak Mahasangh general secretary Prabodh Pandya said first in 2008 and then in 2011, the draft for the fees regulation bill were formed but the act wasn’t implemented.

After the high court directions, the state government issued a fees regulation guideline in April 2015 and in May school education minister Paras Jain declared about the fees regulation committee and act.

Again in March this year, state higher education minister Deepak Joshi said the act will soon be implemented in the academic year.

“Seven months of this session have ended but there is still no sign of the fees regulation committee. At least this CBSE move will put some pressure on the schools to not charge for unreasonable causes,” said Pandya.

The CBSE had launched a circular in June asking its affiliated schools to impart quality education without burdening parents as “schools should run as community service and not a business”.

The circular also said: “It has been observed that there is a growing tendency among some of the institutions to gain profit by imparting education and subsequently raising fees under various heads. As per reports received from various stakeholders, a large number of CBSE schools are not adhering to the provisions concerning tuition fees laid down in the affiliation bye–laws of the board which are mandatory in nature.”

While some schools have started preparing for the mandatory disclosure, others have still no idea about the circular. “We are provided with a form in which we have to disclose all the facilities provided to staff and students and how much are we charging for it. Schools have to upload the document on CBSE website by October 31,” said Sahodaya group president Sojan Joseph.